Loneliness and Problematic Media Use: A Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies (Preprint)

Abstract

UNSTRUCTURED While past research has established the association between loneliness and problematic media use, the direction of causality remains unclear. This meta-analysis investigates the longitudinal relationships between loneliness and problematic media use. Systematic searches in three online databases identified 26 longitudinal studies involving a total of 24,798 participants. Random-effects models revealed bidirectional relationships between loneliness and problematic media use. However, the effect sizes were weaker than anticipated when using beta coefficients as estimates of the longitudinal relationships. Subgroup analyses demonstrated stable results for beta coefficients across various study designs. This meta-analysis also highlights potential methodological limitations and provides recommendations for future research on longitudinal relationships.